A Long Way From Home
by LivingInADream95
Summary: AU. Zoe finds out that Harley is her real father and moves to Blue Bell for her senior year of high school to be with him. What happens when her New York lifestyles is flipped upside down and she is forced to adjust to a new small town life? High school is never easy, especially when you're the new girl freshman year. Zoey/Wade. Slow build. Rated M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was the last week of summer before senior year started. Right now Zoe should be enjoying her last few days of freedom with her friends and getting ready for what was supposed to be her best year of high school. Instead, she was getting off of a plane in the middle of no where, getting ready to meet a complete stranger who, as it turns out, is her father.

Zoe was used to the fast-paced lifestyle of New York. She loved it there. She loved the noise and the bustle. There was always something to exciting to do. The Big Apple was home to her. It was the only home she knew. It was where her friends and family were. Well, aside from her father.

Zoe's summer had been going great until the past month when she found out that the man who she had considered a father for the past seventeen years of her life isn't actually her father. Apparently, her mother had an affair with some doctor from some town called Blue Bell while away on vacation; a fact that Mrs. Hart had kept hidden all these years. But as is true with all lies, the truth eventually came out. Which left Zoe and the man who she thought was her father devastated.

In the weeks that followed the outbreak, Zoe's former father, Dr. Hart, moved out and filed for divorce. He couldn't bear the thought of being around the woman who betrayed him or her daughter. Zoe hadn't heard from him since he stormed it. He wanted nothing to do with her now that he knew she wasn't really his daughter. This hurt her more than anything. He may not be her biological father, but he was the only father she had ever known.

Her mother had gone into a depression after her father left them, locking herself in her room, only coming out in search of more alcohol. Zoe could hear her crying herself to sleep every night. It was tearing her apart. She couldn't stand it any longer. Which is what led Zoe to where she is now. Blue Bell.

* * *

Zoe looked around the tiny airport. It was so small that she could see the entire airport from where she stood. She grimaced as realization hit her. This tiny country town was her new home. No more Big Apple. No, more like fresh apple pie.

Zoe took a deep calming breath and made her way over to the baggage claim to pick up her luggage. The rest of her belongings would either be shipped to her later or sent to storage. At this point, Zoe didn't even care anymore. She kept an eye on the conveyor belt, watching for her luggage to come by, while surveying the airport out of the corner of her eye.

There wasn't much to see. A few people here and there, most of whom appeared to work here, a gift shop and a coffee shop, other airport necessities, nothing extraordinary by any means. It was nothing compared to the enormous airports she was used to.

Moments later her luggage came sliding along. She pulled it off of the conveyor belt and set it on the ground, extending the metal bar so she could roll it along. She sighed and made her way over to the exit, dragging her belongings along behind her.

She didn't have to worry about finding her father because when she stepped outside he was the only person standing there. He looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, greying hair, average size. If she was honest, he looked like your average dad, with a country twist of course. He was wearing a plaid top and jeans. He smiled brightly when he saw her headed over. He extended his hand in greeting.

"You must be Zoe," he said cheerfully.

"That's me. I guess that means you're Harley," she said flatly.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Zoe. I know this isn't exactly the way you planned to spend your senior year, but I promise you, if you give Blue Bell a shot, you will grow to love it here."

Zoe didn't want to be rude, so she simply nodded her head and forced a polite smile. There was no way she was ever going to love Blue Bell, at least not like she loved New York, but she was going to try to make the most of this unfortunate situation. It was her senior year after all. She didn't work her butt of the past three years to have a miserable senior year. After high school she could move anywhere she wanted for college. This arrangement was just for one year. How bad could it be?

There was an awkward silence before Harley finally intervened by motioning to the truck parked on the side of the road and saying, "Well, this is my truck. You're probably eager to see your new home and get settled in."

Zoe nodded and made her way over to the truck. Harley took her luggage and placed it in the bed of his pickup truck. They both got in and Harley began the slow drive back to his house. He pointed out the various shops and attractions along the way, not that there were very many. Zoe knew she wouldn't have much trouble finding her way around town. She supposed that had to count for something.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When they finally reached Harley's house, Zoe couldn't help but stare in awe. His house was huge. Zoe had no idea her biological father was loaded. Sure, she had lived in a nice apartment back home, but it was nothing compared to this. The house was even more spectacular inside. She would have never expected this. She was starting to think life in Blue Bell might not be so bad after all.

* * *

After taking a tour of the house, led by the apparently very modest Harley, Zoe was feeling a lot better about her current situation. The house was gorgeous, especially her room, which was fully furnished and pre-stocked with an amazing clothing selection in her walk-in closet. It was clear to Zoe that Harley had gone to a lot of to make her feel welcome. She could easily see herself growing to love him. Maybe she wouldn't feel fatherless anymore.

"It's beautiful," she finally said when they had finished the tour.

Harley simply smiled and gave her a quick nod. "It's not such a bad place to call home," he said thoughtfully.

Zoe couldn't help but laugh at that. She didn't understand how someone could be so modest and unfazed by the fact that they were rich. Blue Bell didn't exactly strike her as a rich town. She imagined there were only a few houses as nice as this in town and Harley was lucky enough to own one of them. One of the perks of being a doctor she supposed.

"Well, I'll let you get settled," he said politely. "I will be in the study if you need me. Oh, and if you're feeling up to it, I thought we could go out to dinner tonight. It will give us a chance to get to know each other and let you see the town a little more."

Zoe smiled. "Sure. That sounds nice," she said.

"Wonderful. We'll head out at around six. Oh and by the way, welcome to your new home."

* * *

Zoe made her way back up to her room and plopped down onto her queen size bed. She smiled contentedly at how comfortable her new bed was. Even better than the one back home. Home. Zoe was starting to hope that one day she would consider Blue Bell to be her home too. She didn't want to spend the year feeling like an outcast. Who knows, maybe she might even decide to stay here after high school. Only time will tell. Right now though, Zoe just wanted to take a shower and wash the smell of airplane off of her body.

She had her own bathroom, another amazing perk to living with Harley. Back home they had all shared a bathroom, which proved to be rather inconvenient at the best of times. It was rather large, complete with a Jacuzzi style tub and expensive shower. She had never had a more relaxing shower in her life. This bathroom was better than a five star hotel.

After her shower she went back to her room to unpack what little she was able to bring with her. She put her clothes away first. Thankfully, Harley had left her enough room in the closet and dresser for her to put what now seemed like a meager selection of clothes away.

When she was finished putting her clothes and her other few belongings away, mostly sentimental things to remember her life in New York by, photos of friends, a teddy bear from when she was a baby, etc., she decided to take a quick nap, the exhaustion from the flight finally getting to her.

* * *

By the time six o'clock rolled around Zoe was dressed and ready to go. She didn't know where they were going, but she figured it wouldn't be too fancy judging by what she'd seen of the town. She had to admit, she was both excited and more than a little nervous to be going to dinner with her biological father. He may not have been there for most of her life thus far, but she still wanted to get to know the man and give him a fair shot. As far as she was concerned, none of this was really his fault.

She headed downstairs to meet Harley. He was just making his way to the foyer as she descended the stairs.

"Perfect timing," he said with a grin. "Ready to go?"

"Yep."

With that, they headed out the door towards the truck.

The drive to the restaurant was fairly short and uneventful. Harley asked her how she was settling in. She told him she'd unpacked and loved her new room and especially loved having her own bathroom. Harley had chuckled at that and agreed that having one's own bathroom was practically a necessity nowadays.

When they pulled up to the restaurant, Zoe couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when she read the name written in neon above the door.

"The Rammer Jammer?" she asked dubiously.

"It's not as bad as it sounds," he said by was of reassurance, going on to explain the story behind the name.

Despite what he told her about the meaning behind it, Zoe couldn't help but think there was something vaguely sexual behind the name. Whatever the case, the owner clearly had a sense of humor to actually name his restaurant something as silly as The Rammer Jammer.

The restaurant was a lot more crowded than Zoe had expected. Nearly all of the tables were occupied. Zoe glanced around after they found an empty table. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and the food looked pretty good, which she was thankful for because Harley had just informed her that this was pretty much the only place to eat around here.

A friendly waitress came by shortly after to take their order, offering Zoe a warm welcome to Blue Bell. The waitress seemed a little nosy to Zoe, asking her a bunch of questions, but she guessed it was a southern thing. Regardless, she answered the woman's questions politely, but with minimal detail. This woman was a complete stranger after all and if New York had taught her anything it was to watch what you say to people because it had a way of coming back to bite you in the ass.

Zoe was grateful when someone from a neighboring table called the waitress over to ask for a refill on his drink. The handsome teenager (what, Zoe wasn't blind. The boy was sexy. He had that whole mysterious stranger thing going on) winked at Zoe and gave her a knowing smile. She returned his smile, thankful for his help. He held eye contact for a few seconds, causing her to blush shyly and look away.

She didn't know why the boy made her nervous, it's not like she'd never dated before. There was just something about him. She sensed that he was probably bad news, but she felt herself being drawn to him nonetheless.

"So, I'm sure you must have some questions to ask me," Harley said, drawing Zoe's attention back to the present situation. "I know this has all been rather sudden for you, for me as well actually… What I'm trying to say is that if there's anything you want to know, anything at all, don't be shy. I know this is going to be a little awkward at first, but I'm hoping a little openness on both of our parts will help us to move past said awkwardness."

Zoe thought for a moment, unsure where to begin. She didn't know if she should ease her way into the hard questions or just dive right in headfirst. She decided she might as well just cut to the chase.

"Did you know about me?" she asked, trying to keep her nervousness out of her tone.

"Not until recently," he replied honestly. "Your mother never told me. I didn't even know she was married. I wouldn't have… done what I did had I known."

Zoe nodded thoughtfully, pleased to know that he hadn't intentionally slept with a married woman and abandoned his only child.

"Do you regret it?" she asked after some time.

"Do I regret my behavior? Yes. Do I regret you? Most definitely not. Zoe, you may not have been conceived under the most ideal circumstances, and we may have just met, but I do love you. You're my daughter and I wouldn't want it any other way. Nothing can change that," he said, reaching across the table to squeeze Zoe's hand reassuringly.

Zoe felt tears welling up at Harley's words. She hadn't expected that. More importantly, she hadn't expected his answer to mean so much to her. She wiped away a stray tear that had fallen and cleared her throat, swallowing the lump that his words had caused.

"Thank you," she said quietly, when she had pulled herself together enough to speak.

He smiled at her affectionately. Zoe felt her heart warm up at the love in his eyes. How could anyone love someone they had just met so much? Sure, she was his daughter, but he hadn't known that until a few weeks ago.

They spent the rest of their evening getting to know each other and enjoying what turned out to be a great meal, aside from the grits, which upon seeing her grimace, the boy from the other table had leaned over and told her they were an acquired taste.

When Zoe went to bed that night, she couldn't get this evening's events off of her mind. She had to admit, today had been a pretty good day as far as moving in with a complete stranger to a completely new town goes. She found herself looking forward to tomorrow.

* * *

**AN: Wow two chapters in two days. I definitely wouldn't get used to this readers. I will try to update as often as I can, but real life keeps me pretty busy. Thank you to everyone who has given this story a shot. Hope you're enjoying it so far. Reviews inspire me to write faster :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for the lovely reviews and adding this story to your alerts. Yes, the guy from the diner was Wade. I'm glad someone recognized the quote about grits. I wasn't expecting to be able to hammer out another chapter so soon, but here we are. This is how I choose to spend the last few days of my Christmas holiday. It's worth it though. Hope you like it. Reviews make my day.**

**Chapter 3**

The next day Zoe decided she was going to explore the town. With any luck, she would meet some people her age so she wouldn't feel so alone on her first day at a new school. Today was Tuesday, so she had just under a week to make a new friend or two in time for senior year. This was a small town; she figured she could do it. She secretly hoped she would run into the boy from the diner.

As Zoe wandered around town she noticed that everyone seemed to be gravitating towards the center of town. Most of the businesses she passed were closed and there were few people milling around town. She decided to head towards the growing crowd in the heart of town and see what all the fuss was about, vaguely remembering Harley saying something about a festival of some sort. Apparently Bluebell was famous for them.

There were stands up everywhere, all promising the best gumbo in town. _What the hell is gumbo?_ Zoe wondered as she walked around, checking out what the festival had to offer. Which was apparently some sort of stew from what Zoe could gather. She decided to give it a shot and walked up to one of the stands being manned by a guy who looked to be about her age.

"Good afternoon," he said brightly. "You must be the Zoe Hart I've been hearing so much about."

Zoe nodded and tried to control the blush she felt creeping onto her cheeks from hearing that people are talking about her. It made her realize just how out of place she really was in a small town like Bluebell where everyone knew each other by name. She didn't like being the talk of the town, especially considering the circumstances that led her here. They were her and her family's business, not anyone else's.

"I'm Lavon Hayes, gumbo extraordinaire and football enthusiast / future NFL'er" he said proudly, extending his hand for Zoe to shake.

"It's nice to meet you Lavon. I've always wanted to meet a future celebrity," She said with a smile, earning herself a laugh from the boy. "I've never had gumbo before, but since you seem to be an expert on it, " she said glancing at the ribbons displayed on his stand, proof of his success in gumbo fame. "I'll trust you."

Lavon grabbed a bowl and spooned some of the gumbo into it. It looked like a sort of shellfish stew. Zoe liked shellfish. _This whole gumbo situation might not be so terrible_, she thought.

"You're a senior in high school, right?" Lavon asked as he handed her the steaming bowl.

Zoe gave it an experimental sniff, smiling when the delicious aroma hit her. Her mouth watered at the smell. She took a bite before answering him, too eager to wait.

It tasted even better than it smelled. Zoe's taste buds felt like they'd died and gone to heaven. This would definitely not be the last time she had gumbo. She made a mental note to ask Lavon for his recipe sometime.

Lavon smiled when he saw her reaction, "it's good, right?"

"Mmm… More like _amazing_," she said enthusiastically. "Oh and to answer your question, yes, I'm a senior. What about you?"

"I'm a senior too. We'll probably have a lot of the same classes, small town and all," he said thoughtfully. "We should hang out sometime. Do you like football?"

Zoe didn't much care for sports, but Lavon seemed like a really nice guy and she wanted to get to know him better, so she decided to bend the truth a little.

"I used to watch it back home sometimes. I don't cheer for any particular team though." Which wasn't a total lie. She had watched the game once or twice, usually at thanksgiving.

"I'm a Saints fan myself. Maybe we could watch a game sometime."

"I'd like that," she said honestly. "Do you play on the school team?"

"Yep. Linebacker," he said with a broad smile.

"I'll have to come watch you play sometime. See if you're really NFL material."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Well I'll let you get back to handing out your gumbo. I wouldn't want to deprive the people of Bluebell of such a wonderful dish."

"I'll see you around, Zoe."

"Bye. Thanks for the amazing food."

* * *

Zoe decided to wander around the festival some more. There wasn't much point in touring the town today everyone was already here, well aside from Harley and his partner Dr. Breeland.

She made her way around the festival for a while, talking to a few locals when they stopped her to introduce themselves and welcome her to Bluebell. She was actually having a pretty good time, even if she was wandering around an unfamiliar town by herself.

Eventually she decided it was time to leave and take a stroll through town to see what else there was to see. She figured she might as well go to the bathroom while she was here because she didn't know where she would find one next and all the lemonade she had been drinking this afternoon was making itself known.

As she got closer to the restrooms, she could hear moaning coming from inside. She wasn't born yesterday, she knew what was going on inside the ladies' room, but she didn't have time to find another public washroom. If these two wanted to have sex in public then they would just have to deal with being caught in the act.

Zoe took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she might see when she opened the door. She creaked it open, coughing loudly before entering. She figured the best strategy was to give the couple some warning in the hopes that she wouldn't have to see anything she did not wish to see.

She was relieved to see that the couple at least had the decency to get it on in a stall. She made her way over to the stall furthest from the one with two sets of feet and did her business as quickly as she possibly could.

She quickly washed her hands then left the restroom. When she got outside curiosity got the best of her and she decided to hide behind a bush to see whom she'd walked in on.

She didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, the cute boy from yesterday was peeking his head out the door checking if the coast was clear. When he didn't see anyone nearby, he hurried out of the washroom and casually disappeared into the crowd. _Well, looks like we won't be dating him in the near future_, she thought wryly. _So much for that._

She didn't bother to wait around and see who the woman was. She didn't see much point in it anyways, it's not like she really knew anyone in town. The only acquaintance she really had beyond her father was Lavon. She decided to go back to his gumbo stand to see if he was still around, not feeling much like spending the remainder of the afternoon by herself. _Maybe he can give me a tour of the town_, she reasoned. She could use a friend. Friends were what she needed right now. She didn't need to get hung up on some guy she didn't even know.

* * *

Zoe lucked out. When she reached Lavon's stand, he was just putting stuff away.

"Sold out already?" she asked.

"Good gumbo goes quick around here," he said with a grin.

"I may not know much about gumbo, but I can say this… Your famous gumbo was the best I've ever had."

"Says the girl who's only ever tried my gumbo," he replied with a chuckle.

Zoe laughed. "You caught me, but I did manage to make my way around this entire festival and yours was definitely the most talked about."

"Must be my secret ingredient," he said thoughtfully.

"Oh please don't say love," she replied sarcastically.

Lavon laughed again. "What I was _going_ to say is a hint of cinnamon, but now that you mention it, maybe love does have something to do with my success in gumbo making."

"It must. We can't go giving that cinnamon all the credit."

Zoe helped him take down the stand and put the stuff away, having felt weird just standing there not doing anything.

"You know, Zoe Hart, you may be the most interesting person in this town," he said after a while.

"Oh yeah, why's that?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Young New York firecracker moves to small town and befriends future NFL linebacker," he said wistfully. "I can just see the headlines now.

"Doesn't take much to make headlines in Bluebell I guess," she replied sarcastically.

"Hmm you have a point there Miss Zoe Hart. But still… We'd make an awesome duo."

"I'll be the Bonnie to your Clyde."

Lavon offered to take her on a tour of the town and they spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other and cracking jokes. Zoe was glad to have found someone who appreciates her sarcasm. The best part was that Lavon hadn't tried to hit on her. He didn't try to make it into anything more than a new friendship and Zoe was grateful. She liked Lavon, but she was looking for a friend, not a boyfriend.

When it was getting close to dinnertime, Lavon walked her home, asking if she was free to hang out tomorrow. She said yes and gave him her number so he could text her.

"It's been a pleasure, Miss Zoe Hart," he said, fake tipping his hat.

"The pleasure was all mine Mr. Hayes," he replied, curtsying to emphasize the act.


End file.
